the British Election system

[rosa bregman]

how does the British Election system works??

 

[ianess]

Like a horse race....first past the post wins......the winner doesn`t need a majority of the total votes cast.

Is this what we call democracy?

[buchanan]

Some might say it doesn't ......

[bernardo]

That is such a huge question that I could write several pages to answer it.  Can you be more specific about what you are asking?  Do you want to know about

1. the method of voting and counting votes
2. the timetable of an election
3. ballot papers
4. political parties
5. selection of candidates
6. expenditure by candidates / parties
7. other (please specify) ?

 

The first answer from ianess was referring to number 1 in my list; if that is what you meant, then the short answer is that

• First-Past-The-Post (i.e. simple plurality) is used in elections to the House of Commons, and in local elections in England and Wales
• Additional Member System is used for the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly, London Assembly
• List system is used for the Members of the European Parliament (for Great Britain)
• Single Transferable Vote is used for all elections in Northern Ireland (local elections, European Parliament, Assembly) except for the House of Commons, and will be used for local elections in Scotland from 2007
• Supplementary Vote is used for the Mayor of London, and for directly-elected mayors in a number of other cities or boroughs

 

If you want to know more about what these systems mean or how they work, feel free to ask again.

[archbishop]

GAB Bernardo. Well rosa are you now thouroughly confused. I know what he is going on about but for a non-brit it must be a wee bit confusing.

[bernardo]

GAB Good point archbishop.  I meant to (but forgot) to ask rosa bregman what country she is in - i.e. from which perspective are you asking the question?  TTML

[Quickie]

Could someone explain me this:

the vote is split